Paul Libin, a major figure in the American theater for nearly seven decades, including Circle in the Square Theater and Jujamcyn Theaters’ management posts contributed to some of the most exciting and acclaimed stage productions in Broadway, died on June 27 in New York after a brief illness. He was 94 years old.
During the duration of his career in the theater, Libin produced more than 250 Broadway, Off Broadway and Touring Productions. He directed the circle to the Square Theater for 62 years until his death, as executive vice-president and production director of Jujamcycyn Theatres for 28 years until 2017, and was president of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids for 24 years until 2018.
Just a small sample of productions staged under the Libin watch: Death of a seller with George C. Scott in 1975; St. Joan with Lynn Redgrave in 1977; Tina Howe Coastal disorders With Timothy Daly and Annette Bening in 1987; And, just in recent seasons, Slave game, funny girl, Romeo + Juliette and, currently in a circle in the square, Just in time With Jonathan Groff.
Born in Chicago in 1930, Libin served two years in the army and graduated from Columbia University on the GI bill. He launched his theatrical career by helping the picturesque designer Jo Mielziner. At the start of New York, he worked as an actor, stage manager, managing director, and in 1958, he began his production career with a rebirth of The crucible At the Martinique theater.
In 1963, Libin joined Circle in the Square Theater, Theodore Mann, a handshake that lasted 49 years. Under their stewardship, the company has set up historical productions, in particular The Iceman Cometh, Uncle Vanya, the death of a sellerAnd True West WestAmong other classic awakenings, contemporary pieces and musicals.
After Mann’s death in 2012, Libin continued as president of Circle in the Square Theater.
In 1990, Libin also joined the theaters of Jujamcyn as an executive vice-president and director of production, a position he held until his retirement from this role in 2017. During his mandate, he played a key role in the revolutionary work of shepherds on Broadway such as Angels in America, The Producers, Fela! And Love! Value! Compassion!.
Simultaneously, Libin was president of Circle in the Square Theater School, chaired the Broadway League from 2009 to 2011 and sat on many Tony Awards committees, and other governance and negotiation committees of the Broadway League, as well as acting as a trustee for several multi-employer pension funds.
Among his deepest inheritances, his work as president of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aida, where he supervised remarkable growth in the philanthropic scope of the organization. At the time of retirement in 2018, he was appointed first emeritus president of the group and Honoré du Paul Libin Center of the actors’ fund. Discussing the training of British Columbia in reaction to the first days of the AIDS crisis, Libin pointed out: “We could not do something.”
Throughout his prolific career, Libin was a recipient of the Eugene O’Neill Medallion, the Tao House Prize for the Eugene O’Neill Foundation and the Lucle Lortanding Lifetime Achievement Award. He received 12 Tony Awards, including the Special Tony Award for Life Realization in the theater in 2013, and in 2016 was inducted into the renowned temple of the theater.
In recent years, Libin has been actively engaged with the Broadway Theater community, continuing his work with Circle in the Square Theater School and presenting new successful productions in Circle in the Square Theater, including An enemy of the people, Romeo + Juliet, And currently, the favorite of criticism and the public Just in time.
In the world of theater, Libin was a beloved and admired storytelling, a kind of living encyclopedia of the show show. Paul Libin’s devotion to artistic talent and humanity of the theater has made an indelible mark on Broadway and stages beyond.
Susan Frankel, who worked with Libin for more than 40 years, will continue the tradition of innovative revival productions and new works, as theater director and chief executive officer of Circle at Square Theater, working with the Director General Cheryl Dennis.
Libin is survived by his 70-year-old wife, Florence Rowe Libin, her three children, Charles Libin and his wife Mindy Goldstein, Claire Libin and Andrea Libin and her husband John High, and her grandchildren Travis Libin, Millah Libin and Sasha High.
A celebration of his life will be announced later. Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made on Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS or at the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund).
